Night Shade Chapter 2
The Novak Firm was Daniella’s home away from home. She loved her work, the company, and, most of all, the people. Yet the moment she entered through the double doors, she almost vomited.
Panic and dread crept up her spine, making her shudder. She labored her way to her office and stashed her breakfast in her mini refrigerator. After she logged into her computer, she saw an urgent email calling the executive team to meet in Conference Room B for an emergency meeting. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she made her way to the room, pen and paper in hand.
The moment she opened the door and saw Luke’s face, some of her tension eased. Luke had been her best friend for the last four years. They met in college as dorm neighbors and bonded over their differences. She appreciated his out-of-the-box thinking, creative spirit, and how it directly contrasted with her analytical and serious personality. He loved to laugh, to make others smile, to throw caution to the wind. Luke taught her how to have fun, to balance her dedication to work while still appreciating life. He’d introduced her to his cousins, Gregori and Mya, and they had embraced her as if she was a missing part of their family.
When Luke told her that he and Greg wanted to start a business, it didn’t surprise her. But when he asked her to help with their accounting part-time, she’d nearly fallen out of her chair. Wanting to support her friends, she said yes, but she never imagined that decision would have put her on the path to becoming the CFO of a now multi-million-dollar agency.
“Good morning, sunshine,” Luke said with a small smile.
“Good morning to you too.” She paused, taking in his ruffled copper hair and slightly wrinkled clothing. “Is it still going to be a good morning after this meeting?”
“I wish I knew, Dani. I wish I knew.”
Before she could respond, the door opened behind her and the air rushed out of her lungs. Her nerve endings awoke, firing so fast that goosebumps erupted over her skin. She shivered from the sudden change in body temperature and bit her bottom lip to keep from gasping. The expansive energy washed over her and spread throughout the room—dark, hot, seductive. Daniella didn’t need to see who was behind her. There was only one person who had ever made her feel this way.
“Good morning, Ella.” The deep baritone of Greg’s voice rolled over her in waves.
She straightened in her chair, trying to disguise her body’s natural response to him. “Good morning, Greg.”
He walked to the head chair, coming to stand between herself and Luke. While he conversed with Luke, she looked him over. Gregori Novak was breathtaking. He was a six-foot-six Adonis covered in toned bronze skin that made his Spanish heritage proud. His russet-colored hair fell to his ears, complementing his sharp jaw and strong facial features. While Greg considered his eyes to be brown, she had stolen enough glances at him to know they were, in fact, hazel. They took on a life of their own, becoming lighter or darker depending on his mood, sometimes even light enough for her to see their pale jade depths. They drew her in, enticed her, while his lips could—and often did—convince her of anything. And if that wasn’t enough, he also had a perfectly shaped ass.
Luke cleared his throat and she blushed at being caught ogling. Luckily, the door opened once more, saving her from any additional embarrassment.
Once the rest of the executive team arrived, Greg took his seat, drawing their attention. “Now that you’re all here, let’s begin.”
* * *
The room fell silent when Greg uttered the single word “embezzled”.
“Embezzled? What the fuck do you mean, embezzled?” Mya snapped.
His eyes narrowed. Mya’s anger was second to none and she was about to unleash it in full force. “Mya—”
“Do not ‘Mya’ me right now. How the fuck did this happen?”
“We don’t know. But this is a time for solutions, not anger.”
“I go away for two weeks, two fucking weeks, and this happens?” she grumbled.
Greg’s eyes bore into Mya’s, warning her to keep her mouth shut. She sat back in her chair with a frustrated sigh, crossing her arms while still glaring in his direction. That was as good as he would get, and he’d take the small blessing.
He scanned the room, observing his team. Merida and Dominick appeared calm and collected, even though he knew they were brimming with rage. Luke had also known of the news prior to the meeting, which was the only reason he hadn’t lashed out like Mya.
Greg’s gaze lingered on Daniella, who concerned him the most. Her amber eyes stared down at the table, unblinking. She may have hidden it well, but the death grip on her pen told him exactly how upset she was. She took her job seriously and was devoted to not only the company, but his family as well.
“Aren’t there accounting principles and security measures in place to prevent things like this from happening?” Johanna asked. “I’m sorry, but I’m with Mya. I don’t understand how this could have occurred.”
As his Chief Human Resources Officer, Greg knew she had a right to this table. He could understand her concerns, especially if anything might affect funds for wages and benefits, but he did not appreciate her subtle accusation of blame toward Daniella and Merida.
“That’s an excellent question, Johanna,” Merida said as she laced her fingers together. “The security and accounting protocols that we have in place are why we made this discovery so quickly. This is a jarring and confusing time for all of us, but we will collaborate with the pertinent parties to find the perpetrator and fix any security issues in our processes. If you have any questions regarding this incident, please be sure to come to my office and I will do my best to explain everything to you.”
“Thank you,” Johanna responded, giving Merida a curt nod.
Greg continued, holding the gaze of each person around the table as he spoke. “I know this is a stressful time for everyone. Your behavior here shows how much you care about this corporation and the dreams that Luke and I founded this company upon. We thank you and are confident that we will overcome this setback.”
He motioned to his security team. “Merida and Dominick’s team will be speaking with each of you and your departments. We trust that if you have seen anything suspicious, you will be forthcoming with any information you may have. As Merida has already stated, if you have any questions, please direct them to her. Thank you.”
Greg watched as Daniella stood, her expression tight as she left the room. Johanna followed after her, leaving him, Mya, Merida, Luke, and Dominick behind.
The moment the door shut, Mya sat forward, and slammed her hands down upon the table. “Now that the fake bullshit is over, tell me what really happened.”
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